Take a Step Back
by Heart-of-Moons
Summary: The Sohma curse has inflicted pain upon the zodiac members for generations. Some days are hopeless, while others are nothing but pain. But there are times that they are almost happy to be alive. Let's take a step back to Akira's reign as the Sohma head, and all the previous zodiac members that graced this world with their lives.
1. Chapter 1: Newfound Love

Take a Step Back

Chapter 1: Newfound Love

Life was a dreary existence. Dark, gray- everything that life was not intended to be. The rain poured outside, leaving the ruts in the mud filled with murky water. The windshield of the car was hammered on by the large drops, making visibility hard. I gazed out the side window, eying our destination up the road. The dim lights ahead were difficult to see. I could see the large house coming into view as the man next to me drove the ambulance up the drive. It was a wonder we hadn't gotten stuck in one of the potholes as we had done many times earlier.

Both of our dark uniforms were soaked and muddied from our time on the front and our many times getting this old vehicle out of the mud. It always seemed to rain here. My clammy fingers combed my long strands of black hair out of my eyes. I had thoughts of cutting it with the knife I had with me, but then was not the appropriate time for that.

Pulling out in front of the intricately constructed house, we had our doors open before we came to a complete stop. We were both stepping out as two women came out to meet us, umbrellas in hand. Their worried and pale faces glowed in the headlights of the car until my partner shut it off. I looked past them, already making my way towards the building. One of them stumbled to catch up to me.

"Sir, you'll get wet." She put the umbrella over me as we briskly walked on.

"I'm already wet." I walked ahead of her into the house. I stopped once inside, waiting as she closed the umbrella and set it in the tall hall tree. When I turned to look at her for the first time, I could see her brown hair pinned back tightly against her head with loose strands hanging down on each side. Her violet eyes stared at me with concern and I awaited for her to speak. My expectant gaze had her startled.

"My name is Nara Sohma," she introduced herself and bowed. "I'm one of the nurses of this hospital." I only momentarily glanced at her white uniform.

"You're Sohma?" I inquired, an eyebrow raised. It seemed highly coincidental for another of my family to be in this exact spot.

She blinked and stood upright before speaking, "yes. My family is from Japan."

"Hm," I turned and started walking, expecting her to show me the way. Her shoes clicked after me at a steady pace and she slipped in front of me, leading the way through the halls.

"I didn't catch your name, Doctor."

"Tsuru Sohma," I responded with utmost seriousness. She seemed a bit taken off-guard by our coincidental meeting.

"You're from Japan?" I nodded. "Here is your room." I snapped my green eyes to her as she creaked the door open. She allowed me to step inside first before entering herself and fixing the curtains over the window. "I will leave you to get some rest. You will be called down in the morning." She walked over to the door and I went to the bed where clothes were left folded on the neatly made bed.

"Goodnight, Doctor Sohma," she turned to look back at me as she spoke. Her thin hands pulled the door closed behind her.

I changed my clothes and sat down on the mattress. The room was small with very little furniture. A simple bed with a hard mattress and cloth blanket sat on one side of the room. Across from it was a dresser with hand-carved designs on the drawers. The floor was hardwood that creaked in some places, the walls an off white. It had been nothing like the place I had called home. Home...

I laid back on the bed, pulling out a tattered picture of a sweet little girl and boy from home. The girl had long black-brown hair and gray eyes full of life. Her name was Satomi. She had always been the sweetest little thing. Her little brother, Reikoro, had short brown hair and bright orange eyes that had always looked up at his sister with admiration. I looked to this picture with a heavy heart, knowing they were not those same innocent children they used to be. They had grown distant from me, knowing then that I was not their father. I was only a family member put up to the task of caring for the abandoned children. That did not mean I had not cared for them, however.

I laid the old picture under my pillow and laid my head on it. I looked to the cracked ceiling as my thoughts wandered back to the nurse that I had met. She was Sohma. I knew it was very possible that there were Sohmas I did not know. Some even lived far from the Estate. As large as the family was, however, it was still surprising to find one in the war. What had her name been? Nara? I had to admit that she was beautiful, but that was not the time to be thinking of something like that. I had other things to worry about.

My heavy eyelids threatened to close, despite my deep thoughts in my head. It had been a long time since I had gotten a good night's sleep, but that was normal for a full-time doctor. It was even normal back at home. That night was the first night that I could close my eyes without the anxious ideas of being attacked in the night. A long-awaited chance to rest.

* * *

_Nara's Point of View_

I entered my room, unpinning my hair to let it fall onto my shoulders. It had been an exhausting day, and I didn't have the energy in me to keep a conversation going with the newly arrived doctor. I wished I could have, but that would have been out of place. It was none of my business who he was.

But still, I couldn't help but wonder about him as I changed my clothes. He was quite tall and slender, and very intimidating with how serious he was. It was a serious time though, and I knew I could be uptight while on the job. It was all part of our work. We worked all day and rarely slept without thinking of what we had left behind. Well... I didn't have much to leave behind. Since both of my parents had become dangerously ill and passed just weeks after I had left to be a nurse at this hospital. It stung a little, but they weren't very supportive anyways. None of that mattered though, as it was all in the past.

All I needed to do was keep on with my duty there at the hospital and I would make something of myself. Of course, it wouldn't be easy. Especially if I couldn't get along with our new doctor. It seemed like we may disagree on some things, but I had to remember that the doctor was always right. I had to hold my sharp tongue and accept that fact. Or I knew I would regret it. One wrong move and it was all over. I would be ashamed of my failed life for the rest of my lifetime.

I laid my hair pin on my nightstand and sat on my bed. I knew that any remaining family I had would be ashamed of me too if I made a mistake. Such high expectations came at a high price. My parents would not see, but my siblings would. The same siblings that all became successful in all different trades and careers, and I was supposed to follow their example. Those siblings.

Sighing, I laid on my bed and closed my eyes. Such an exhausting day. The next day would be even worse. I just knew it. I would also have to work under Doctor Sohma. Our attitudes were sure to clash, and the other nurses would keep mine in check to be sure. They would be quite nervous knowing the tension between us. The only one to be concerned about was the head nurse. She was the one that had the power to ruin me. I decided that I would have to go day by day, hoping that I was only imagining the worst-case scenario. It couldn't be that bad. I would just have to see how it went.

* * *

Tsuru's Point of View

The next morning was a rushed one to say the least. I was in uniform and walking downstairs at a quick, steady pace. I was ready for whatever they had to throw at me, but the scene I found downstairs was a surprise.

"Oh, Dcotor Sohma." The nurses all looked in my direction. Their thin faces each looking at me in a curious way.

"What's the hurry, sir?"

"Is something wrong?"

My breath caught and I thought for a moment. This was a new hospital, and we were the new arrivals. So that meant... There were no patients that needed attention at the moment. I felt like an idiot, but put my hand in my lab coat pocket.

"No new arrivals?" I asked.

"No, sir."

My partner turned the corner and smiled at me, coffee cup in hand. "Hey Sohma," he greeted. His expression turned to a nervous look. "You all right?"

I was surprised how relaxed he was. That he could smile like that at a time like this. It wasn't the appropriate time for that. I realized he expected an answer and replied with newfound composure, "yes. I'm fine."

My partner, Kotaro Koda, took me into a sitting room and handed me a cup of coffee. I sipped at it as he sat down in a chair across from me, resting his feet on the coffee table between us.

"You're pretty popular among the nurses here, Tsuru," he joked.

"I haven't noticed." I glanced away, not interested in this kind of relaxed conversation.

Koda chuckled. "I bet you could have you're choice of any of those nurses."

"Don't be ridiculous," I replied.

"Just please don't take Katai," he set his cup on the table, the smile never leaving his face as he spoke.

"Koda," I scolded.

He froze, his teal eyes looking at me a little surprised. "What?"

"You shouldn't be thinking about finding a date," I sipped at the hot coffee in between talking, "now is not the time."

"You never think it's the right time, Sohma." I ignored that statement. "Tell me when it is right, Tsuru," he pleaded with me. I had to think about that. For me, I supposed it was never.

"You need to lighten up," Koda went on, "if you keep saying now isn't the time, then you will never find happiness."

"Who says I'm looking for it?"

Footsteps nearing us broke my attention from my overly relaxed partner. It was the Sohma girl, her hair pinned back neatly and her hands clasped in front of her.

"Doctor Sohma," she greeted with a nod, then looked to my partner, "Doctor Koda." He hardly deserved that title.

"Hello, Nara." Koda smiled at her. I scowled at how informal he was. I was tempted to scold him for calling her by her first name, but did not. I would have plenty of time to later.

"Good morning, Miss Sohma." I stood.

"It seems we will be working together," she looked up to me with her small violet eyes. Her eyes always looked narrowed, even though she was not angry. Possibly needed some glasses?

I gave a simple reply, "so it seems."

"Our first patients will be arriving," she informed me.

I nodded and gave my first order, "go get the rooms ready." She nodded and walked off quickly to do so. I took in a breath to prepare myself for the confusion that would soon follow. Once the quiet was gone, it was gone for hours straight some days.

Once the front doors opened, the new patients were brought in quickly by the ambulance drivers. Each patient either completely out of it or nearly screaming in pain. I went to the first man, straight away working on his broken leg. The blood was already staining my new lab coat, and it was only the beginning of the day's work.

As I went from one patient to the next, I barked orders at the nurses, including the Sohma girl. I could hear Koda giving similar orders down the hall. Mass chaos took over the entire house as we did our best to save the brave mens' lives, who had been injured in the war. It wasn't until one of our last patients came in that we had real problems.

The man was severely ill, struggling to stay awake. His wound was dangerously infected, making me wonder how he was alive. I ordered the nurses to do their best with the wound, too tired to think of anything else. That was when I got a defiant reply.

"He will die if you let him keep his leg," Nara spoke urgently. I scowled a little, annoyed that she had the nerve to talk back like that.

"Just do what I say," I said irritated.

"Doctor!" She kept arguing with me. We went back and forth on our reasonings, each of us unwilling to budge on our opinion. I was up for a rude awakening however when one of the older nurses nearly screamed. We had lost the patient. And it was my fault for not acting. It was after that, that the house was finally falling quiet, and I placed the blanket over the deceased man.

Downstairs, the chaos resumed as all the nurses spoke of their account of what happened. The head nurse silenced them and pulled Nara aside.

"It's your fault Miss Sohma!" She yelled at the young girl.

Nara closed her eyes, accepting her words. "I'm sorry."

"We lost a patient because of you!" The head nurse raised her hand to deliver a blow, but I stopped her from harming that beautiful face.

"Don't blame Miss Sohma," I said.

"She was wrong to go against your orders."

"She was right," I stated, "and I was a fool for not considering her words." The nurses had been surprised. But at the same time, a mutual feeling was between Nara and myself. I felt it run through me when our eyes met. Her gaze was confused and a little defensive, but she saw something different in me then. I did too.

From then on, things were different. For the first time, I had allowed myself time for something other than work. Nara and I's relationship blossomed from there, and every moment made life worth living. At first, I did not worry about home. Not until weeks became months and it was nearing time that we could return home. My mind was thick with thoughts, and I wondered if it was appropriate to bring Nara back with me. Yes, she was Sohma, but family matters were... Complicated.

I would just have to wait until then.

* * *

**_A/N:_**

**_A shout-out to BellatrixBlackLestrangeRiddl e for Satomi!_**


	2. Chapter 2: A Warm Welcome

Take a Step Back

Chapter 2: A Warm Welcome

Driving the car through the streets was quite different from the past few months of driving hurriedly through the rain with only muddy paths to follow. It was a sunny day outside, and I was gripping the black steering wheel tight enough to make my knuckles pale. My anxieties branched from my fogged mind, only able to think of what will happen that day upon returning home. I felt little comfort in having my love next to me in the passenger seat, hair pinned up in a neat bun and an absent-minded smile tracing her lips as she stared on ahead.

Nara had never been to the Sohma Estate. She had explained to me that her family lived out in the country, but that was all I knew of her family. She did not speak of it, so I did not question it. I was guilty, myself, of not telling her about the inner family. I could only hope that things would go well, it being my first day back. It would be a big day for the family at the Estate, and I was sure the younger children would be excited.

Nearing the large wooden gate, I began to slow down gradually. As I had expected, the gates were being opened before I could even think about getting out to open them myself. I pulled the car through the gate, looking up at my rear view mirror to get a glance at the children that had opened it for me. Both of the boys wore huge smiles and closed the gate, each in a hurry to get back to the main house before I could. I could sense that Nara was gazing around at the inside of the Estate, surprised by how big it was, I was sure.

I brought the car to a stop, turning off the ignition. I breathed in a deep, empowering breath before opening the car door and stepping out. My clean uniform held me up as I stood with my hand on the car door, and I looked up in front of the ornate main house. The family was gathered and clapping, eager to see their family doctor after so long. It would make anyone feel highly appreciated, even having Akira himself there among the rest of the family. I shut the door and walked around the front of the car, opening the passenger side.

Thin fingers were reached out and I gently took them, assisting her out of the car. The sunlight shown on her face in absolute beauty, and I almost thought to myself that no one could dislike such a wonderful woman. Her violet eyes looked at me, a nervous smile coming onto her face. It was quite a difference from the serious and confident Nara Sohma I had first met. Her hands wrapped themselves around my arm and I took her with me to greet the family.

"Brought a friend, Tsuru?" One of the eldest Sohmas joked, a wrinkled smile crossing his face. Despite his old age, his magenta eyes were full of life and he could always joke even in the most serious of moments. I had truthfully wondered how our four elderly members were holding up without me checking on them. It was almost a relief that everything seemed to be fine without me.

"Hebishi," the blue-gray haired woman next to him put a shaky hand on his arm. Her teal eyes were the calmest of oceans as she spoke. "Don't scare the girl." Her name was Ryu, and even though she was a kind and nurturing member of the family, she was among the strongest of will. The strongest woman of the family.

The children were mainly quiet and curious of the woman I had brought home. Their eyes watched her, wondering what she was like. Her first impression on anyone was always intimidating. My green gaze set on Akira, however, through the entire crowd of welcoming family members. He had switched his own dark eyes to the woman holding my arm. I couldn't read his thoughts, which made me nervous.

I caught sight of Inuhana, another of the elders, giving her adoptive daughter a rectangular object. Not until I saw the gleam of light on the lens did I realize it was a camera. She encouraged the shy girl with a smile.

"Go on and take a picture, Sakura." Her bony hands gently pushed the thin girl forward. Sakura's tan colored eyes focused on the little box before she brought it up to them, snapping a picture of Nara and I. The flash caught Nara by surprise and she blinked a couple times before looking to me. It must have been so over-whelming for her to come back to a large family she had never known.

_Nara's Point of View_

This was so... I didn't know any other word besides over-whelming! So many people here were waiting for Tsuru's return and they all seemed so eager. There were three elders, each quite relaxed in there. Each of them seemed to look at me with either judgmental or pleased expressions. There were at least five children, but I wasn't sure since some of them seemed to move around so much; all of them varied in age, the youngest being a small girl that looked to be at least seven. The children seemed a bit awkward with my presence, however, keeping their distance.

When I looked to Tsuru through this confusion, his eyes were set on a couple of the children. His eyes looked so soft when they looked over in that direction. I traced his gaze to the teenage girl and the younger boy. I almost wondered if they were his, but he was too young to have a teenage daughter, wasn't he?

That girl was quite slender and tall, much like Tsuru. Her shoulder length hair was a dark brown, almost black. She did not seem interested in looking at us though. Those gray eyes trained their gaze on some unknown object as her arms were crossed. This seemed to disappoint Tsuru. But it put questions in my head I would point at him at a later time.

The younger boy beside her only seemed to be following her example, standing his ground as tall as he could, which was not very tall. He was quite short, a huge contrast from the teenager. His brown hair lay in a tangled mess on his head, nearly covering his intensely colored orange eyes. My attention was drawn away from the children of the Sohma family when an adult spoke.

"Welcome home, Tsuru." His voice was even and controlled, but there was something else in it. I couldn't catch it, but by the way Tsuru's arm tensed, he did. The children's conversations came to an end and they looked to this man. By the looks he had earned, the family members had given him quite a bit of respect. The area seemed to be silent momentarily, only the soft spring breeze lightly pulling at my hair.

"Thank you, Akira," Tsuru finally spoke back. His tone was his normal serious one, but he was being careful. It was as if he was walking on thin ice. What was going on?

"Why don't you introduce this young woman to the family?" To Tsuru, he acted like it was some kind of command and did so promptly.

"Akira," he spoke to this man first, making it obvious that he was foremost important. "This is Nara Sohma. Nara, this is Akira, the head of the Sohma household."

When there was a short moment of silence, I spoke of with a quick, courteous bow. "Pleasure to meet you."

He gave a small smile, but I could not tell what it meant. "Likewise."

"Nara," Tsuru motioned then to the others standing around, "this is the rest of the inner family. I'm their family doctor, you see." I nodded in understanding and offered the family a smile.

"I'm sure you're both exhausted and hungry," one of the older women cut in. "Why don't the two of you get settled in? We're having a nice big dinner tonight to celebrate your return, Tsuru."

"Thank you, Inuhana." The doctor thanked her, turning to guide me away. The family members all dispersed and went their separate ways. I glanced back, becoming unnerved from the stare that Akira's dark eyes were giving. The breeze moved his black hair only slightly, but that did not distract his attention from me. Those eyes haunted me until Tsuru switched my attention to the house he was taking me to.

"It's not very big, but I hope it will be enough," he murmured absent-mindedly.

"Don't worry about that," I replied. "It must be better than what we had at the hospital." He merely nodded. I was quite happy to come living with him, but I still felt a bit nervous that I was coming to live in the family Estate that I had never even heard of. My parents must not have had much reason to come around here. They had never mentioned it.

Inside of the house was quite neat and tidy, to which Tsuru seemed relieved. It was a simple two-story home, with a cozy dining room and adequate-sized kitchen. We both turned when we heard footsteps enter behind us. It was the two children that I had caught sight of, each holding our bags in their arms and solemn expressions on their faces. It was as if there was a large rift between them and Tsuru, not to mention how odd it must have been to have a stranger in their home.

"Thank you, Satomi and Reikoro," Tsuru forced a smile. "You can put those down. We will unpack in a bit." The boy and girl both sat the luggage down by the door. Suddenly, the girl's eyes scorned me with their gaze before she turned on her heel, walking towards the stairs. Her footsteps sounded dull until she was gone, and the boy bounded after her. For a moment, I felt quite insulted.

"I'm sorry about them," the tall man spoke apologetically. "Things have been difficult with them since they have found out that I am not their true father." I felt a pang of sympathy then. But also relief that they weren't his.

"What happened to their real parents?" I asked, switching my gaze around to the many pictures of what I assumed were relatives, mainly those children.

Tsuru seemed weighted down with this. "Their parents abandoned them at a young age. I was put up to the task of raising them." It was too bad... It must have been hard.

We spent the next hour or so unpacking. Tsuru had made room in his dresser and closet for my few belongings. I still felt unsure about all of this, feeling unwanted there. But Tsuru continued to say that it was no problem. It wasn't until later that we were called to go have dinner in the main house.

We had both changed out of our uniforms to attire more formal for the occasion. Tsuru wore a nice suit, and I wore one of my few nice dresses. When we walked downstairs, we found the two siblings there, neither of them dressed up. Tsuru was already a bit frustrated.

"Satomi and Reikoro," he spoke, "why aren't you ready?"

"I will not wear a dress," Satomi refused, perfectly fine with her casual attire. She seemed quite reckless. Her younger brother refused right along with her.

Tsuru gave an exasperated sigh. "Can't you show respect on this occasion? Do it for Nara."

"Why?" Reikoro spoke up instead of his sister. "We don't know her." I felt very unwanted, but at the same time pretty angry with how these kids acted. They knew no respect for family?

"Children, listen to him. He has raised you and has taken care of you like his own kids," I decided to say. They both looked at me with distaste before leaving the house.

Tsuru just shook his head in dismay. "I'm sorry for not telling you about any of this," he apologized, messing with his tie.

"You shouldn't apologize." I pushed his hands down and fixed his gray tie for him. "I just didn't know what to expect, truthfully."

He looked down at me with his solemn expression. "I hope you'll like it here," he voiced, unsure of it by now.

"Don't worry about me," I reassured him, lightly kissing him. I, myself, was worried though, as I turned to a mirror in the room to put on my dangling earrings. I hoped to get through this first night without causing problems. I could feel a bit of tension, but maybe I was just nervous. I left the house with Tsuru, hoping for the best.

Upon entering the main house, Tsuru led me through the first floor. The inside of the largest building was gorgeous and I felt a bit out of place there. A long table in the dining room was filled with the family I had met previously that day, all of them having their own conversations and laughing. When they noticed our arrival, we were greeted with smiles.

"Come, come!" The eldest man gestured us over to the remaining empty seats. He was a very interesting man, full of life and always laughing. I forced a small smile, feeling that it would be polite to do so. First Tsuru, as a gentleman, seated me first. The next two seats beside me were empty, but I wouldn't be able to tell who was missing. Tsuru sat down next to me, keeping a calm composure.

"So you're a Sohma, eh?" A few white strands of the man's hair came into his face, but he didn't mind. There were several strands that had strayed from his hairtie.

I nodded, making a point to glance at his magenta eyes. "Yes," I answered, "but I lived in the country on the other side of town."

"You don't seem to me a country gal," he joked.

"Hebishi, don't make her uncomfortable," said Tsuru before he took a sip of tea from his cup.

Hebishi laughed in response. "You haven't changed a bit!"

"If anything," the oldest teenager said with a little chuckle, "the war's made him even more strict." He was quite the odd-looking boy, shoulder length black hair with white stripes no doubtably dyed into it. Why would someone do such a strange thing? His glassy blue eyes looked around at everyone as they each gave their own laugh or comment.

"Which reminds me," Tsuru played along with the joke in a serious tone. "You're first on the list to have your check-up, Daichi."

"Heh," the boy gave a small nervous laugh, expecting no different.

"Uncle Tsuru," a small girl tugged on the sleeve of his gray suit. Her large gray eyes hid behind her black bangs from my gaze. She was quite young and I couldn't help but think how cute she was.

"Yes Ushio?" The stoic doctor looked down at her with a soft gaze. He was quite different around children. I could tell he cared a lot for this family.

The small girl played with the hem of her bright dress. She acted so shy and modest as she replied quietly. "Grandma's arms still hurt her..."

"I will take a look as soon as I can," Tsuru assured her. When the girl scurried off to the kitchen, he filled me in on the problem. "Inuhana has been having problems with her arthritis. She has difficulty doing even simple things sometimes."

I gave a small nod in understanding, noticing that the women of the family were the ones not present at the table. They must have been preparing the dinner, which made me feel a little bad if Inuhana was struggling with that condition.

"I'll go see if there's anything I can do to help," I offered, moving the stand up. Tsuru's hand was placed on my arm.

"I'd hate for you to do any work, being a guest..."

"It's fine." I stood and walked into the kitchen. It was quite a big kitchen compared to what I was used to. At the stove, the gray-haired woman with beautiful blue eyes was stirring a pot. Every once in a while, Ushio would stumble around the kitchen to get something for her. At the table in the middle, the thin elder Sohma was putting the food on the decorative plates. A girl a little older than Ushio was trying to help her, not quite strong enough to carry one of the large plates, herself.

My presence was not yet noticed, and I stepped forward as the dark-haired woman picked up a plate to take it out. She stumbled a little, nearly letting the platter of rice spill to the ground if I hadn't hurried to catch it. Inuhana, shocked that it hadn't crashed to the tile floor, looked up at my face with her brown eyes. We were both knelt to the ground, holding the blue plate with our hands. I could feel the shaky grasp of her bony fingers on the other side of the plate.

"Oh, Nara!" She was very surprised to see me in the kitchen, making my appearance known by the other three. "Y-you don't have to help us," she told me with an apologetic expression.

"It's fine, Inuhana," I said as I picked up the plate and sat it back on the table. Her shy little helper went to her aid, helping her up.

"Are you okay, Grandma?" She looked so concerned for her, her beige eyes seeming to water a bit at the sight.

"I'm all right, Sakura." Her words did not make the girl feel any better though.

"You really should take a break, Hana," the woman at the stove put her spoon down. I could see that they were very close friends, probably having grown up together.

Inuhana sighed. "Alright, Ryu." She looked at me again to say, "I really am sorry."

"Don't apologize," I told her, putting my hand on her shoulder. "I can handle things from here."

"Thank you." She was very grateful. With Sakura guiding the way, they went into the dining room.

_Tsuru's Point of View_

Within minutes after Nara went into the kitchen, Inuhana and Sakura came out. The sweet little girl helped the elderly woman sit down beside Hebishi, who seemed a bit worried for the first time that day.

"Are you okay?" He gently took her hand, only able to imagine the pain and helplessness she must have felt. She nodded and casted her glance to me.

"That girl of yours is very kind," she offered a smile. I smiled back.

"She is quite remarkable," Hebishi added. "She's a good match for you, Tsuru, if I do say so myself. She is a lot like you, with her seriousness and politeness." Hana stopped him from rambling any further.

I knew Nara was a wonderful woman, and was sure the family would come to love her. Once past the initial serious attitude, she was kind and compassionate towards others. She did have her own shortcomings though, having difficulty dealing with change and new things. That was what worried me; however, I was worried most about Akira, who had just sat down in his seat a moment ago. He seemed pretty calm for the time being, but that could change quickly if he was provoked.

It was then that Satomi and Reikoro chose to enter the room, each looking as if they had caused trouble off somewhere else. I was not going to bother myself to ask, as it was a surprise that they had shown up. They acted quite rebellious, not that Akira paid it much attention. He would wait to talk with me about their behavior later. But I still had to tell them I was disappointed.

"You two are late," I simply said to them.

Satomi didn't seem to care, or at least was good at acting like it. It was like she was punishing me for not being who they once thought I was. I thought it was their right to know what I wasn't, but it seemed more like a mistake than anything. I only thought it would cause more pain to find out later, when it was too late. The elders all told me before that they would grow out of such a phase.

"I was practicing martial arts," Reikoro informed no one in particular, proud of it. He always spoke quite loud, as if no one would hear him. He never seemed to notice how loud he really was though, being only twelve.

"You look like you went through a dust storm," Daichi pointed out from across the table. Reikoro had dirt all over his clothes and arms. The little boy didn't care and went on to show off his childish strength by nearly hitting little Sakura with his flailing hand. She squeaked and stood closer to Inuhana.

"Reikoro," I gave him a stern look as I said his name. Satomi thought he was fine though.

"Try me," she playfully challenged him. This was getting a little too dangerous. Someone could have gotten hurt or broken something. Reikoro went at her to accept the challenge, yelling out his own little battle cry. I stood up to stop them, but before I could move someone stepped out of the kitchen.

Nara walked forward, a large platter of white rice in her hands. She had the confidence and smile of a waitress, which she had been a few years back, before the war. She unknowingly stepped into the path of the raging Reikoro, and no one could stop it.

Within seconds, the platter went to the floor, breaking and the rice spilling everywhere. The shatter of the glass was what concerned me, but everyone else was horrified when the brown smoke took over the area of the room. So much had went wrong in just the first day back...

The smoke cleared to reveal Nara on the floor. She sat up, her brown hair coming out of its bun to her shoulders. Her violet eyes opened to see the reckless boar sitting in her lap, staring up at her with a shocked expression. At first, Nara was just confused. It wasn't until Satomi spoke up that things started to get worse.

"Reikoro!" She ran over, worried about her brother. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine!" He spoke back, making Nara's eyes go wide. I had never seen her like that in all the time I had known her. "Watch where you're going next time!" Reikoro yelled at Nara in his anger. Nara could only stare.

The room was silent, the tension thick enough to cut with a knife. Everyone else was either sitting at the table, or standing from their seat to see what was happening. Ryu and Ushio had come out of the kitchen to see what was happening, the little girl clutching Ryu's apron. Akira reminded quiet, his gaze set on Nara. I recovered from my own shock to stand up and go to kneel by Nara, making sure she wasn't hurt.

"Are you-" I was cut off by her high pitched scream. The little boar's ears folded back from the pain and he was taken into the arms of his older sister. She held him close as if to protect him, glaring at Nara. She was going to blame Nara for this.

I could only blame myself though.

* * *

_**Author's Note: A shout-out to the following!**_

_**Sakura - Sparklefaith**_

_**Ushio - CharmyXcream14**_

_**Daichi - Ripplerose**_

_**Thank you everyone!**_


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